When all of her belongings had been put away, and her suitcase lay
empty on the floor of the closet, Kate decided it was time to say
hello to her cousins.
She didn't feel emotionally ready to deal with their constant insults
and painful teasing, but she knew there was so escaping it. They were
all under the same roof now, and she could only avoid them so long.
Slowly, she walked down the staircase, her heart pounding in her
ears. They had always made her nervous, because she had always felt
so inferior to them, as if she was the child and they the adults. She
knew they were talking about her, whispering about "Crazy Kate",
snickering to themselves as they looked her up and down. At the
bottom of the stairs, she took a deep breath and wiped her sweaty
palms on the sides of her jeans. Then, without further ado, she
entered the living room.
It, too, was exactly as she remembered it. The walls were painted a
pale cream, and pictures hung here and there. A green sofa sat along
the far wall, and a wilted plant drooped lifelessly over one arm. She
wondered when the last time Aunt Sarah had watered it.
Someone cleared their throat, and she quickly turned to see Eddie
grinning at her. Time hadn't changed him very much; he was still
short, plump, and curly-haired. When he grinned he had deep dimples,
and a chill went down Kate's spine as she looked at that grin. It
wasn't a very nice one.
Beside him sat a pretty young woman who had to be Pat. She still wore
her black hair long and parted in the middle, but the years had
matured her once-plain features. She was rather pretty, Kate had to
admit, though she hated doing so. Pat's green eyes - cat eyes, Kate
had always called them - traveled from the top of her head to her
toes. Sizing me up, Kate thought. Inspecting me. It occured to her
that Uncle Toby wasn't present, and she wondered where he was.
"Dearest little cousin!" Pat cried, her voice so shrill Kate wondered
if she'd crack the mirror hanging nearby. "It's so good to see you,
but so sad under such...terrible circumstances. You must have driven
a long way - you look so tired and miserable!"
That's not the reason I'm miserable, Kate thought darkly, but forced
a tight smile. "Pat," she said, and then turning to her other
cousin, "and Eddie. It's been a long time."
Pat raised a black brow. "It has. Well, you haven't changed a bit.
Still that boyish little girl I remember."
Boyish? Kate glanced down at herself, wondering where that had come
from. She had never thought of herself as boyish.
"Don't worry dear," Pat said quickly, amusement lacing her
words. "Some of us just develop faster."
Kate's cheeks turned scarlet, and she was suddenly, painfully aware
of every fiber of her being. Why did they make her feel this way?
"Come and sit down, Kate," Eddie called, patting the cushioned seat
next to him. "Let's catch up on old times, huh?"
"Goodie," Kate murmured under her breath, but did as he asked. Once
she was seated, she felt slightly more comfortable. "I can't believe
she is really gone," she whispered.
"Who?" Eddie was clearly puzzled.
"Aunt Sarah, of course!"
"Oh. Yeah, a real shame. But I guess she's out of her misery now."
Kate could hardly believe her ears. She stared at her cousin,
searching his face for any trace of sadness or remorse. She found
none. "What do you mean, she's out of her misery?" She asked, her
tone rising in anger. "She was healthy until the day she died. She
never had any pain or illness. How can you say such an awful thing?"
Eddie shrugged. This time, Pat helped him out. "I think what he meant
was, she was mentally unstable."
Kate clenched her fists. "She was eccentric, but wonderfully so.
Don't you two remember how kind and loving she was to us? How she
always went the extra mile to entertain us?"
"She was a loony old bat," Eddie argued, his chubby face
reddening. "And anyone BUT a loony old bat would know it. She was
crazy, Kate, and if you don't think so, maybe you should have your
head examined."
"I agree," Pat chimed in. "Those stories she told...she actually
believed them. They were such wild, fantastic tales." The young woman
stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Remember that one she told us, about
the Goblin King and the maze?"
"The Labyrinth," Kate cut in softly.
"Yes, that's it! The Labyrinth. She really thought she went there and
defeated that king. Jared, I think his name was."
"Jareth." It was hardly a whisper.
Pat shrugged. "Whatever. My point is, she believed it."
"So did Kate," Eddie taunted, reaching over to pinch Kate's
arm. "Maybe she still does."
Kate jerked from his grasp, repulsion filling her. "Don't be stupid,"
she muttered angrily.
"Well, you do remember a lot about the story," he said matter-of-
factly.
"And you were in love with the Goblin King," added Pat.
At this, Kate nearly fell off the love seat. How did they
know? "Look, guys, that was a long time ago. I was a kid! If I still
believed in the Labyrinth, I would be - "
"Crazy." Pat's face showed pure delight. "Crazy Kate, after all."